


Blood Trail

by FrejaUltor



Series: The Obsidian Chronicles [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Original Character-centric, Post-Tartaros Arc (Fairy Tail)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 17:18:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16917054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrejaUltor/pseuds/FrejaUltor
Summary: Sting and Rogue go Vampire hunting. It goes about as well as you would expect.





	Blood Trail

                After the events of Tartaros, Fiore was in uproar. With no Council to keep them in check, dark guilds ran rampant. Now that Fairy Tail had been disbanded, they were even braver in Magnolia whose citizens were beginning to miss their beloved mages, despite the near-constant havoc they once wreaked. A major crime spree after the Council’s evaporation was understandable, but this far exceeded expectations and made people realize how much the mere presence of the “demons” in Fairy Tail held at bay. Requests for aid had to go elsewhere.

                Thanks to the efforts of Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, Lamia Scale, Quatro Cerberus, Blue Pegasus, (among others), it didn’t take very long for the ruckus of the dark guilds to quiet down. However, rumors spread that they weren’t the only big contributors. Sure, dark guilds fight against each other for territory and dominance, but they usually left it at fighting. Word extended to the largest guilds that someone was killing, no, _slaughtering_ entire dark guilds in a night. All the victims were missing their valuables and their blood.

                One name was whispered among the criminals: Vampire.

                Soon, some dark guilds begged larger ones to let them join, others were even willing to join legitimate guilds and change their ways, if only to escape their demise. When questioned on this strange behavior, the beggars informed whoever was listening that the Vampire wasn’t just a fabled monster; it was an assassin with a large body count. In the Underworld, as they’d like the criminal world to be called, the Vampire was one of the most trusted mages to carry out dirty deeds.

                These rumors were unsettling to Sting, not necessarily due to their nature, but because more and more of them were popping up in Crocus and the surrounding area. Wanting to help make everyone feel safe again and perhaps restore a modicum of order, he decided this was a problem for Sabertooth to take on themselves. However, the guild was once again the strongest and most notable—which meant they were swamped with commissions while also picking up the slack for a now absent Fairy Tail. Minerva, Orga, and Rufus were out on jobs like most of the members. Yukino was taking a few days to herself to recuperate after a grueling mission.

                That left the guild master himself and his shadow counterpart.

                And their cats.

                Together, they set off for the most likely target of the menace. However, the night was eerily quiet as they neared the criminal hideout. The dragon slayers and Exceeds instinctively edged closer to each other as they continued forward warily.

                Rogue shifted into the shadows to have the first look inside. He was noticeably paler when he returned. “Frosch, don’t come inside,” he ordered, visibly shaking slightly.

                 “What is it?” Sting pressed, but his friend only grimaced in reply.

                That was all the provocation he needed to bust through the door, fists glowing and ready to release a holy ray. But it was entirely unnecessary; they had come too late. Bodies and broken furniture alike littered the floor. Nearly every surface had scorch marks, gashes, holes, and many other signs consistent with a magical skirmish. The air reeked of spilled booze and more things that were just as unpleasant to smell as they were to think about.

                Looking at the carnage, the white dragon slayer cursed. “Who could do this?” When he noticed Lector creeping through the corpses with his hands at his mouth, he told him, “You shouldn’t have to see this. Why don’t you go outside with Frosch?”

                Lector didn’t pay him any mind, continuing to wind his way through the broken guild, so Sting begrudgingly let him be. They picked around for any indication of the assaulter’s identity but without much headway.

                But then, something flashed out of the corner of Rogue’s eye. Turning in its direction and looking more closely, he found a charm bracelet held tight in someone’s hand. It wasn’t by any means an expensive piece but the way it appeared to have been made by a child’s hand placed a different value on it. _Someone might want this back_. He peered at it somberly, the rainbow assortment of beads and charms creating a deeper pang in his chest. A sun, a cloud, a bolt of lightning, and a moon were arrayed semi-evenly between the beads and the middle one had an oddly familiar shape.

                “Sting!” Both slayers whipped their heads towards Lector’s voice. He stood next to a man slumped against a wall. “He’s still breathing!”

                Rushing to his side, Sting lightly shook the male’s shoulder. “Hey, hey, can you hear me?”

                A cough. A wheezed breath. Another. Nothing.

                Sting sighed. “Do you think we should try to get him some help?”

                “There isn’t much here in terms of medical supplies,” Rogue noted, “and it would take too long to get him to a healer.”

               More of a whine than a groan issued from the man. Finally, his eyes opened blearily. With labored breath, he asked, “Who are you?”

                “Mages of Sabertooth,” Sting replied.

                The man closed his eyes and groaned again as he tried, and failed, to shift positions. “What do you want?”

                “We followed a rumor that the Vampire would be here,” Rogue said. “We’re sorry we came too late to stop them.”

               This statement caused a coughing fit they soon realized was laughter. The smile the man gave was self-deprecating. “No, don’t feel bad, little wizards. Nothing you could have done. We should have known better than to think we could outrun the Vampire…that he wouldn’t come for us.” His gaze passed over the destruction around him, then lost focus.

                Sting crouched in front of him. “Can you tell us what happened?”

                “What does the Vampire look like?” Lector prodded when the man didn’t respond.

                Still staring off in space, he began, “Mine was a smaller dark guild. Times were tough and burglary was all I seemed to be good at. We had heard of the Vampire but that name was normally whispered by people who knew of Oración Seis or Grimoire Heart. Nothing us small fry had to worry about. We didn’t murder or sell people.

                “Then Fairy Tail’s main members seemed to have disappeared. We were raking in more money than we ever had before and for a short time, felt like kings. But I think that was our downfall. The dough was attracting some darker characters to our guild and then we had even more money. The whispers of the Vampire were more common, too, and not just among the more experienced thieves. I wonder if that’s when he really picked up our scent.

                “Things got really bad after the Grand Magic Games when our sister guild—founded by our master’s actual sister—that worked mostly in smuggling, was attacked. No survivors, no witnesses, all drained. The secret logs of other guilds they’d dealt with were missing. So we decided to team up with this guild, which was a little bigger than ours, for added protection just in case. But nothing could have prepared us for this.

                “Tonight was like every other: laughs and jokes over drinks about marks. The door burst inward and crushed two guys who were sitting in the way, and standing there was him. The Vampire. We did our best to hold off his attacks, but to no avail. Some tried to flee but he dragged them back with ropes of blood and threw them against the wall or the other members.”

                Sensing a lull in his monologue, Rogue inquired, “There were clearly some mages in your guild. Were any of them able to wound him?”

                “Yeah,” Lector pondered, “I thought the Vampire drank the blood of his enemies. You’re still bleeding.”

                The man’s eyes finally met theirs. “No, nobody was able to land a scratch. Every time we tried, he would turn into mist and reappear while we were gathering our strength for another attack. And you are right, little one,” he addressed Lector, “that is the Vampire’s way. He only stopped because _it_ came.”

                “What came?” Sting asked. This new tidbit had him rocking on his feet to lean closer.

                Closely his eyes and shaking his head furiously, the survivor said, “I have no idea. I can tell you it wasn’t human. Glowing red eyes, a dark mane, BIG,” he attempted to throw his arms to either side until his momentary vigor was replaced by the reminder of how much pain he was in, ”wings.”

                “Where did it come from?”

                “It came through one of the broken windows. The Vampire didn’t seem to notice its approach even though I’ve heard he has better than average senses. The beast went after him savagely, completely ignoring the rest of us. For a second, I could have sworn there was fear in the Vampire’s eyes. Finally, he must’ve gotten tired of trading blows with it, ‘cause he took off the way he came in.”

                “The beast only attacked him?”

                He coughed up some more blood and glared at the blond. “That’s what I said!”

                “Even after he left?”

                “Yeah,” the wheezing was growing more intense, “the Vampire took out the rest of my comrades just before he left. The creature had been in front of me so he didn’t see me here. It had looked at me, got uncomfortably close, licked the worst of my wounds, then whined like it knew it was my time. It chased after its prey and now you’re here.”

                “How long ago did they leave?”

                Shrug. “Hard to say.” His voice was much softer now.

                The slayers shared a look. Sting rose…

                Or was about to until a hand grasped him with a surprising amount of strength.

                “Be careful…going after the Vampire.”

                “Sting is super strong and so is Rogue! The Vampire won’t touch ‘em!” Lector assured him with a couple mock punches.

                The head shake was more feeble this time but no less emphatic. “He isn’t just powerful. He has enhanced senses and strength and is able to manipulate blood at will. He can turn into mist, as I mentioned already. I have also heard it said he can control you if you gaze into his eyes. He was able to plow through several guilds with this technique.”

                Sting pursed his lips, taking this into account and watching the man struggle to hold on long enough to give this information. He gave the death grip an awkward pat. “Thank you for your help. We’ll do what we can to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

                After a slight nod, the grip relented so Sting quickly ushered Lector and Rogue outside before they could witness his passing. Poor little Frosch was quivering waiting for them, and commented it was scary there. Rogue took his friend into his arms while Lector patted the fellow Exceed’s back in a rare sign of physical affection. The group began heading back the way they came, not totally sure where they should go next, just as long as it was _away_. Rogue slipped his hands in his pockets partially out of habit and to ward away the non-physical chill beginning to set in. He was confused when one hand came in contact with something he didn’t remember putting there.

                The beads clicked as he brought the bracelet out. He inspected them as well as he could, given the poor lighting but that wasn’t a problem. As soon as the moonlight reached the beads, they emanated a faint glow, except for the odd-shaped one in the middle. It was coated in a substance better left to the imagination and once it was cleaned on his pants, the symbol was starkly recognizable.

                “Sting.”

                His friend cocked his head as he looked at the object. “What’s that?”

                “I found it in the guild,” he handed it over for his guild mate to study. “It appears to be the work of a kid. Maybe we could give it back to the person’s family. Then I saw the middle charm.”

                Sting’s eyes widened as he noticed the shape. “This is a Fairy Tail symbol!”

                “Too bad there’s no one around we can ask about it,” Lector sighed dejectedly.

                The blond flashed an encouraging smile to his friend. “It’s all right, Lector. We’ll return this, it might just take a while.”

                “Hmm.” Rogue pondered for a moment before suggesting, “We could take it to Gajeel. Now that he’s one of the Rune Knights, he has more resources. And if nothing else, he probably knows someone of Fairy Tail who could help us.”

                “Fro thinks that’s a great idea!”

               

                Venturing to the Rune Knight headquarters was a great idea…in theory. In reality, the party felt instantly out of place. Knights rushed around with the same urgency as healer mages in the heat of battle. One was kind enough to point them in the right direction and they did their best to avoid being bumped into while also keeping track of which way they had come and where they were going. The place wasn’t a total maze but there were many rooms with many people bustling down hallways and through doors.

                A familiar voice calling for Lily told them they were close to their destination. Peering in the doorway the shout came from, they saw cabinets, desks, tables, and nearly all floor space covered in stacks of paper. A mane of black hair was visible behind one of these desks and the attached head shook in frustration before a hand ran through the former rather roughly.

                “Oi, Lily! While you’re in there, have you seen that request form?”

                There was no audible reply so Rogue broached carefully, “Gajeel?”

                The metal dragon slayer spun in his chair, took one look at his visitors, sighed, and grumbled something that sounded Draconic while pinching the bridge of his nose. “Lily! I’m gonna need those warrants, too!” Squinting at the newcomers, he asked gravely, “Did something happen to Sabertooth?”

                “No,” said its guild master, “we had a question about Fairy Tail and you were the one person we knew we could ask.”

                Gajeel shook his head again. “It’s gonna have to wait. I have too damn much to do to sit around and reminisce.”

                The pair were about to protest when someone made a sound of surprise. Pantherlily and Levy had wound their way through the stacks, each carrying a fresh one from an adjacent room. Levy’s face was tight with concern as she looked at them.

                “Is everything okay at Sabertooth?”

                “Everything’s fine,” Sting confirmed with a nod. “Why is that your first question?”

                “It’s rare to see anyone here other than the Knights,” she explained with a shrug. Setting her load on a table similar to her partner’s, she turned to them with hands on her hips. “What can we do for you?”

                Lector bounced in excitement. “We have a bracelet!”

                Holding the piece of jewelry for her to see, Rogue recounted—with Sting’s help—how they acquired it. The Script mage twisted the object this way and that, making little hums when she spotted something interesting. So intent was she that when she patted her neck and head and Lily handed her the glasses she was rooting around for, she only absentmindedly muttered a thank-you.

                Once done with her examination, she returned it to Rogue with a light shake of her head. “I’m afraid I don’t recognize it,” she stated in defeat. “What’s really odd, though, are those charms. They look Celestial.”

                “Are they valuable?” Sting asked.

                Another negative head shake. “Not really; just unusual. Supposedly, Celestial spirits have left bits of their clothing behind in battles and such. They don’t give off any magic or aid casters in any way; they just glow in the moonlight. They’re not too hard to find—especially since I guess you could just ask a Celestial spirit or their key holder for one—so they’re not expensive. Perhaps a bit out of style. The Fairy Tail charm can’t be Celestial so it was probably enchanted to have the same properties as the others. I think I saw some at the Harvest Festival years ago.”

               Sting grimaced at the realization that their great lead had gotten them nowhere. Trying his luck anyway, he pressed, “And you have no idea who this might’ve belonged to or who could’ve made it?”

                “The only person I can think of who might know where you can look or who you can ask for answers is Lu.”

                “Lu?” Lector repeated with a confusion-scrunched face.

                “Lucy Heartfilia,” Pantherlily amended.

                The twins made a sound of epiphany. ”Yukino’s friend!”

              Levy nodded. “She’s still in Magnolia and she’s been doing her best keeping track of all of us who were in Fairy Tail.” A sad smile formed on her face as she thought about her friend. “I don’t know if she’ll know anything about the bracelet, but if you want to know anything about Fairy Tail, she’s the one to ask.”

               

                The blue-haired mage wished them luck and gave them Lucy’s address along with some landmarks in the city to find their way. Lily wished them farewell with a nod while Gajeel gave a wave of his hand and a grunt without turning his attention from the mountain of paperwork in front of him. They might not have made much progress in their quest but they could at least ask Miss Heartfilia and continue their hunt for the Vampire if that failed.

                Considering this a personal side mission to finish quickly, the group begrudgingly boarded the train for Magnolia. Frosch and Lector did their best to console their dragon slayers as they suffered the whole trip, bemoaning their motion sickness. When they disembarked at last, they wandered aimlessly in the city streets, desperately trying to recover from the ordeal. The scent of food normally aggravated their already turned stomachs but a smell tickled their senses.

                A restaurant lay at the end of the trail and with their appetites revitalized, they stepped inside. Many delectable aromas greeted them and drew them to a table where they checked out the menu. A feminine laugh caught their attention, as they had thought themselves the only occupants in the lull between lunch and dinner. Peering around at the other booths, Sting saw a trio of women in the far corner, one of which had very light blue hair he instantly identified.

                “Yukino!” He popped up from his seat, forcing the other three in his company to follow, and slid in next to his guild mate. “What are you doing here?”

                Wide-eyed by the serendipitous encounter, Miss Agria responded, “I could ask you the same thing!”

                “We’re on a quest!” Frosch exclaimed while Lector groaned, “A long one.”

                “What kind of quest would bring the master of Sabertooth to Magnolia?”

                The voice reminded Sting that Yukino wasn’t here alone. Across the table was Lucy Heartfilia herself and a navy-haired woman. The women had steaming mugs and plates with half-eaten pastries in front of them. Lucy had an eyebrow raised in amusement, a light smile playing on her lips. Her bench mate appeared stunned by the arrival of the twins and their feline companions.

                A light blush formed on Sting’s face, with Rogue’s mirroring it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drop in on your ladies’ lunch…date.”

                Lucy gave a dismissal wave. “We were just talking about Celestial spirit stuff.”

                “Wait,” Sting leaned across the table a bit, causing the silent woman to lean back. “Don’t I know you?”

                Rogue crossed his arms as he took in the dark-eyed person. “You _do_ look very familiar. Have we met somewhere before?” Seeing this reaction, the Exceeds both took to staring at her with pensive looks.

                Shifting uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny, she shook her head and squeaked a small, “Uh-uh.” Clearing her throat, she said, “I must have one of those faces.”

                Glancing between the rift of awkwardness, Lucy introduced, “This is Ilana, a Celestial mage like me and part of the family.”

                Sting gave a “Hmm,” as he backed away, giving the impression he wasn’t quite ready to give up working out why she was so familiar. Rogue nodded shortly, saying it was nice to meet her and introduced himself and his friends. Lector proclaimed that any friend of Yukino was a friend to him which seemed to lighten the mood. Then Rogue placed the object of their quest on the table.

                The blonde inspected it in similar fashion to Levy, though perhaps not so fastidiously. The handling here was like that of a museum curator holding a delicate fragment of history. Ilana observed with a blankly curious expression. Very gently, it was set back down.

                “I’ve never seen this before, I’m sorry.”

                Before her apology had time to leave her mouth, the twin’s faces smacked into table. Yukino patted their heads in a meager attempt to comfort the defeated duo. The sound of bone connecting with wood attracted the attention of the cooks who whispered among themselves. The women traded glances and shrugs before continuing their previous conversation.

                After a while someone queried, “Is everything all right over here?”

                “Mr. Yajima! I’m so sorry for the noise!” Yukino apologized over her still-deflated guild members. “The boys are just dealing with a tough mission.”

                The former council member lifted an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

                Apparently this was enough to send Lector off on a small tirade of their exploits. He told of the setbacks they’d faced over a bracelet they found while chasing a criminal. This grand tale was spun with as much embellishment a small cat could muster along with many arm flourishes and facial expressions.

                “A dark guild?” Ilana  inquired, her dark eyes saying more than her tongue. “That’s an odd place to find anything Fairy Tail related.”

                “This criminal,” Yajima remarked, “sounds quite dangerous. Attacking other guilds.”

                Lector sighed but it seemed to more of an inhale. “That’s not the worst of it!” This time he recounted all the dying man had told him about the pair of horrors.

                As the Exceeded went on, the wrinkles in Yajima’s face seemed to deepen and a shadow came over him. Once Lector finished, he drew in a shaky breath. “I should have known this would happen…” he whispered more to himself than the mages at the booth.

                The twins sat up at his tone but Lucy beat them to the punch. “Know what would happen? Does this _Vampire_ ring any bells?”

                “Unfortunately, yes,” he conceded. “You may know that the Council had several assets at their disposal,” when they nodded he continued, “Well, one of these assets was a guild. It was made up of mages whose magic could be catastrophic and political prisoners from other countries. When the Council needed something done and they couldn’t march their knights in to do it, they sent the guild. If anyone ever learned about these people, the Council would deny all knowledge, brand them a dark guild, and send the knights to ‘take care of them’.

                “However, they were ordered to always return to the Council in this event or their lives were forfeit. As such, only the strongest and most brutal tended to survive. I never liked the idea of using those poor people. They all had families or guilds they once belonged to and many were never able to go home. We made them ruthless, cunning, and practically legends in the Underworld. They are the worst—or best, depending on who you ask—assassins and spies in Fiore. And now that the Council is gone…”

                Lucy’s hands had been covering her mouth for a good part of the story and now she mumbled through them, “They’re all loose?” A slow nod from the old man was all the confirmation required. “I imagine it won’t be easy to track down a shadow guild. If the Council needed deniability, they wouldn’t be able to have guild marks, right?”

                “True,” Yajima affirmed. “I’m afraid the only people who might know how to find Obsidian Phoenix, as they referred to themselves, would be Doranbolt, Jellal, and the members of Oración Seis.”

                “Oración Seis?” Lucy sputtered.

                “Yes, I believe they crossed paths a few times.”

                Silence slipped over the group as they all processed this load of new information. Yajima hung his head as memories of the shadow guild and the orders they were given washed over him. The Sabertooth members pondered their mission and the new details of their target. Lucy wondered if she should keep a closer eye on Levy and Gajeel; people subjected to that sort of imprisonment might attack anyone trying to rebuild the Council. Ilana was eager to change the subject.

                “If you still want to help get this home,” she suggested, “you could take it to Laxus. He’s been part of Fairy Tail the longest.”

               Lucy snapped her fingers and excitedly cried, “Of course! He and the Thunder God Tribe are with Blue Pegasus now. Not only would they be able to point you in the right direction as far as the bracelet is concerned, but maybe Pegasus has some leads on this Vampire!”

                “That’s great thinking, Lucy!” Yukino complimented with a soft clap of her hands. “Pegasus gets a lot of townsfolk to talk and they’ve been taking a lot of requests off our hands.”

                Sting’s and Rogue’s stomachs protested at the thought of more transportation.  When they groaned simultaneously, their guild mate smiled sympathetically. She encouraged them to hang in there and recommended they stay in Magnolia for the night then head out in the morning. They agreed with grumbles.

                Yajima stopped them with a hand. “Before you go,” he urged, “I must warn you about continuing this search for the Vampire. That man was not wrong about the assassin’s powers, but you absolutely must not underestimate them. Their magical aura has the ability to frighten many and for good reason. The Vampire was raised in Obsidian Phoenix, nearly fifteen years. They were arrested as a child for the massacre of an entire merchant’s guild.”

 

                Even as they anguished through the ride away from Magnolia, the somber words of the restaurant owner remained at the front of their thoughts. Approaching Blue Pegasus was almost enough to send them over the edge and leave the seemingly endless quest of the mystery bracelet to someone else. A line of people waiting to enter extended almost a block. A sign and balloons trailing to the entrance explained the added popularity.

                Out of all the days they could have arrived, they did so on the day of an event.

                “No way,” a voice from their left stated in disbelief. “ _You’re_ here for the talent show?”

                Rogue responded without thinking, “We most definitely are _not_.”

                Sting looked the stranger up and down. The blond man seemed like seemed like someone he should know but a name wasn’t coming to him no matter how much he nagged his brain. Something about him was slightly repulsive—probably the unnatural way shimmering particles floated off of him.

                “Who are you again?”

                Newbie’s face twisted into an affronted look. “I’m Hibiki!” he proclaimed as though they should already know that, smacking his chest for emphasis.

                “Ohhh,” they drew out in the hopes that pretending to know him would make him go away.

                It didn’t work. “So what _are_ you here for?”

                “We were hoping to talk to Laxus,” Sting explained. At this point, he was ready to pass out on the cobblestones out of mental and emotional exhaustion. “He might be able to help us with a quest, but if there’s an event…”

                Hibiki waved the thought away. “Laxus never participates in this kind of stuff, no matter how much Master Bob tries to bribe him. It’s a real shame, too; he’d get lots of attention if he’d show off a bit.” There was a brief sigh before the sparkling resumed in earnest. “I can take you to him, if you’d like!”

                “You’re the best, Mr. Hibiki!” Lector cheered, Frosch chiming in after. The dragon slayers were too stunned and semi-disturbed by the sight of so much twinkling.

                The sparkles doubled at Lector’s praise and his smile grew to a full blown beam. “Thank you, Mr. Cat!”

                True to his word, Glitters-a-lot lead them past the roped line of people waiting, through the crowd of people laughing at the stage holder’s jokes, and into a hallway that wrapped around a side of the guild. Obviously, each guild’s layout is different, but the enormity of the space for entertainment in Blue Pegasus is unrivaled. The amount of side rooms they went by had them gaping a little. A staircase at the end of the hallway led them up to the private quarters. Each door had a board on it where the occupants, or their friends, could leave notes, (or tape flowers, in some cases).

                When their guide knocked on one of these doors, there was an annoyed shout of, “For the last time: NO!”

                The blond snickered and called, “Are you _sure_?”

                The door flew open to reveal a stern-faced, green-haired man. Politely, yet a touch coldly, he answered, “He’s sure.”

                “I was mostly joking. These guys are here to see Laxus.”

                Pointedly scanning them head to foot, Freed deemed them worthy to enter with a wave of a hand. Inside, Bickslow sprawled spread-eagle across the bed, his wooden dolls sitting on his chest. Sitting at a vanity was Makarov’s grandson, having his hair trimmed by Evergreen. All eyes turned on the intruders and Hibiki was cruel enough to make the situation more awkward by saying goodbye and shutting the door behind him.

                Laxus quirked an eyebrow, staring at their reflections. “The Sabertooth twins, huh? Sorry, I’m not in the mood for a brawl today.”

                Both of them waved off the idea, especially with the Thunder God Tribe glaring at them like guard dogs. They explained their discussion with Lucy and their hope for his assistance. He sighed at the mention of Miss Heartfilia and shook his head.

                He apologized again. “Right now, she’d probably be the one to ask about Fairy Tail stuff. The guild disbanding hit her pretty hard, not to mention flame-brain running off like an idiot. And I certainly don’t know anything…about…jewelry.”

                His voice had choked off a bit when he saw the reflection of the bracelet. The next moment, he whipped out of the chair and snatched it from Rogue’s hand. The sight of him with only on side of his hair shorn would have been funnier if the mood of the room hadn’t switched so suddenly. The Thunder God Tribe glanced between themselves and gazed him worriedly as he cradled the object in his large hands. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks unbeknownst to him and his shoulders started to tremble a little. Ever placed a hand on his arm and said his name but he made no reply.

                “This belonged to my best friend,” he managed to get out. By the expressions on the Thunder Legion, this was something they were unaware of. “We played together as kids but she was afraid to join the guild because of all the people so I made this for her. A bit of Fairy Tail she could take with her.”

                “You never mentioned her before,” Bickslow stated gently.

                Bits of hair floated from the protective cape as his body quaked. “She disappeared. The last time I saw her, she told me she had found a way to become stronger.”

                Frosch’s eyes were filled with tears as they asked, “What was her name?”

                “Nina,” he smiled sadly, “but I used to call her ‘Red’.” Shifting it around in his hands, he questioned the slayers, “Where did you get this?”

                Sting and Rogue shared a look that confirmed neither of them wanted to be the one to tell him. How could they after such a heart-rending reveal? However, being a guild master meant doing tough things so Sting told them, as briefly as he could, where they were and why before the jewelry dilemma.

                Freed thumbed his cheek thoughtfully. “Those attacks do sound similar to ones we’ve come across.”

                “There’s still one more place that we know about where the Vampire will most likely hit next. Considering how dangerous everyone says he is, would you care to join us?” Rogue offered.

                Sparks were already beginning to come from Laxus. “If this guy has answers about what happened to Nina, I’ll happily smash ‘em out of him.”

               

                Fortunately, the time interval between the destruction the Vampire dealt on guilds was enough for them to walk to this location. The trek to it was awkward, given the company and the energy radiating from said company. Before they knew it, they were closing in and it was only late afternoon. Discussions about where to set up camp until the Vampire showed up halted when they noticed how quiet the nature around them had become. Then, they heard the all-too-familiar clamor of battle.

                Sprinting in its direction, a clearing opened before them, revealing the fighters. A group of mages threw spells left and right at a demon. Or what appeared to be a demon. Most of the blows it received didn’t faze it one bit but when one got very close to hitting the mark, the monstrosity shouted another Take Over incantation and the magic was nullified. It was horribly one-sided, but the trio showed no signs of backing down.

                “It’s pointless, _Master_ ,” the beast mocked in a booming, ugly voice. “No amount of bones are going to make me submit.”

                “You’re making a fool of yourself, Plastar,” a woman chided him. Her outfit was extremely out of place for a battlefield; a ball gown that could have conceivably been from Princess Hisui’s own collection. “The wizard guilds have already picked up Mesh’s scent. How long before they find you?”

                The bulbous head swung in her direction, enormous glowing eyes narrowing as he sneered, “You don’t scare me, _Spider_. Oh. I’m sorry,” he said very unapologetically. “ _My Lady_ ,” he corrected with a melodramatic bow. A large explosion ignited in his face and he cried out more in surprise than pain. “DJ! Stop that already! Can’t you see your pitiful rockets have no effect?”

                A lanky young woman sporting the greasiest overalls known to man, with smoke pouring out of a hole where her foot used to be, made an offensive gesture at the glob. “You’ve turned into an ass since you left home,” she yelled, “or at least what comes out of one. You look and smell like your personality!”

                This entire interaction baffled the onlookers. The previous violence had nearly prompted them to assist the struggling mages, but now it appeared they’d stumbled in on a family feud. All the data they had combined indicated this was the correct location for the Vampire to attack. Standing back and gawking was awkward but giving up on their quest after all they had been through would be humiliating.

                Behemoth jiggled as he grew even taller. “That place was never a home! You all sicken me the way you treat each other like family. Give me a break. You really think these people don’t think you’re crazy, DJ? And _my Lady_ , when are you going to wake up and see everyone is just nice to you because they’re afraid of you and hope enough smiles will keep them in your graces? And do I _really_ need to say anything to you, _Master_? The moment we were shown a glimmer of freedom, everyone abandoned you.”

                The only figure who hadn’t spoken stepped forward, staff in hand. His attire was the most suitable out all of them. “I’m very sorry you feel this way, Plastar,” the man’s tenor had a soul-deep weariness. “Obsidian Phoenix won’t be the same without you. You’ll certainly be missed. Why,” he began twirling the staff, “Nina hasn’t been quite herself since you left.”

                On that note, he brought his weapon over his head and the demon fearfully shot his gaze to the sky. The blobby arms moved about the equally gloopy head to shield from whatever aerial offense he expected.

                WHACK!

                The staff connected with the body with a very disturbing sound that could only be compared to a wooden bat hitting a large amount of semi-hardened gelatin. The wielder laughed at his own ballgame swing but it was drowned out by the cackles of the other. Just as a comment about how lame the attack was started coming from Plastar’s lips, something hurtled into his recently assaulted side. With a yowl and thunderous crash, the sludge monster toppled.

                Spectating ears had already perked at so many key names being dropped. Now their eyes widened at the sight of the creature which gracefully dismounted its victim. Twisting mid-air to face its foe again, it slid in the grass from the leftover force. The dying man’s description was fairly accurate but definitely did not prepare them for beholding it in person. Leathery wings stretched wide on either side of humanoid body. The “mane” of hair wasn’t much but the protruding collar of its jacket did trick the eye at first glance. Talons extended from the fingertips. Glowing red eyes glared at the shaped on the ground that was beginning to rise.

                “N-Nina,” Plastar stammered with a placating hand stretched toward the winged creature, “you don’t have to do this. I’ll leave the country. I won’t help Mesh anymore, I promise!”

                A menacing growl was Nina’s reply. Staff man answered for her, “I think we can all agree that’s not going to work.” Holding the rod out to the side, he whistled and with a well-practiced swoop, Nina perched on it. “If we let you go, you’ll just go running back to Mesh. You’ve caused enough trouble. We might not have been family to you, but we always take care of our own.”

                With a push-off, Nina launched into the air. Slamming the staff into the ground, the creature followed like an elbow drop from hell. When he made no move to get up again, only twitches and groans, the rocket woman whooped. Almost as an afterthought, she slapped the side of her shortened leg and a claw foot extended from the bottom. She was still doing a little victory dance when she pulled a mechanism from a bag and dropped it on the reverted form of Plastar. Gas hissed, gears clicked and soon Plastar was held in a metal cocoon.

                Lady moved around the wreckage of what had once been a building. Threads burst from her hands, binding the pieces together. It didn’t look like much of a building when she was complete but it was undeniably an improvement. “Master” complimented her work as he stretched and popped some joints. Nina seemed content to lick her claws clean then “sheath” them with a _shick_ , one by one.

                If there was ever a time to introduce yourself after spying on a fight, this was it.

                With much trepidation, the bystanders made their way forward. It was difficult not to walk as silently as possible after the scene but these were plainly the last people to ever be snuck up on.

                “Oh, Re-ed,“ the fiery one called in a singsong, waving a bag in her hand, “I have some y-ummy foooood. Who wants a sip?”

                Red eyes snapped on the bag and the last talon _shicked_ away. Nina’s tongue peeked out between her lips momentarily. Bag and holder came closer. Like a cat, there was a quiver of muscles ready to pounce. DJ opened the bag and waved her hand over it to waft the smell. Another tongue peek. Then, Nina leapt and darted off into sky.

                “Oi, FANG!” DJ screamed angrily. “Get yer ass back here and drink your blood, you dumb vampire!” Nina’s retreating form didn’t circle back and her attempted feeder let out a yelled exasperated groan. “Master,” she pouted, “make her come back.”

                Master and Lady were too busy loading the incapacitated Plastar onto a cart. DJ sighed like a child whose parents aren’t paying attention when the sibling does something stupid. Finally, her head turned to the ensemble headed for them. Not sure what to do, she gave a small wave.

                “Master!” she shout-whispered, “There’s weird people!”

                Stepping forward, Master surveyed the odd assortment of mages and cats. “Ah, Sabertooth  and Blue Pegasus. I presume you’re after a guild hunter.”

                Laxus assessed the _very_ different trio. The amber eyes of the man in front of him didn’t have a mad twinkle to them, but looks are usually deceiving. The woman, whose dress probably cost more than it took to rebuild Fairy Tail, had the best poker face he’d seen in his life. (Either a miracle or very impressive enchanting had kept the dress intact and free of any stains). DJ was the dirtiest and most expressive of them, partially hiding behind Lady while glancing furiously back and forth at the strangers.

                “You know who we are?”

                “Of course,” Lady addressed cordially. Despite her attire, her presence and lilting voice weren’t haughty. “The twin dragons of Sabertooth and their Exceeds accompanied by the Thunder God Tribe. Quite a troupe.”

                Before any of them could ask _how_ they knew, Master raised a hand. “Forgive me; I know you have much to interrogate us about, especially most recent events. I would ask that we first return to either of your guilds. This,” he gestured to the body on the cart, “needs to be put into some sort of custody, if not disposed of entirely, and I’m sure you would all be more comfortable on your own turf.”

                Lector made the audible groan they all emotionally felt, causing Master to chuckle. Nevertheless, they agreed it _would_ be better not to speak out in the open.

               

                Journeying back to Blue Pegasus was more unsettling with three assassins and a rumbling cart containing a fourth. Master and DJ tugged the mass as fast as they could but it was dusk by the time they entered the city and easily another hour before they reached Blue Pegasus. A message was sent to the Rune Knights to collect Plastar once they blocked the carts wheels. Inside, room was made for everyone to sit comfortably. Only Master Bob was present at this hour and he watched the newcomers very closely.

                “If you’ll allow me,” Master initiated, “I will tell you what I can about our guild and about the ‘Vampire’ everyone has been whispering about.”

                And tell them he did. His portrayal of Obsidian Phoenix and their types of missions were more detailed but lined up with what Yajima had told the Sabertooth mages. “Master’s” name was actually Roger, Spider was The Lady, and DJ could be called Sprockets but didn’t mind either way. Many of their other members had either gone back to their families (in other countries in some cases), or been hunted down by Obsidian Phoenix. After all, they had firsthand knowledge of how dangerous their own members could be.

                Included in the list of those they were pursuing was the Vampire, who wasn’t really the Vampire at all. A Mimic mage in their guild who harbored deep-seated hatred for dark guilds had decided to us the Vampire’s magic for his own gain.

                “The true Vampire is our guild mate who left promptly before you said ‘hello’.”

                The small piece of jewelry was getting an awful lot of table time. Laxus slid it towards the center of the group. The Phoenixes shared sympathetic looks. Knowing that his childhood friend wasn’t involved with a typical dark guild was a small comfort. Finding out that she could have been alive after all these years clenched his stomach in a way he didn’t feel until Roger’s words relaxed it. Still, it wasn’t the most pleasant news and the questions swarming in his head weren’t letting his gut calm just yet.

                “How long has Nina been a part of your guild? What the hell happened to her?”

                Roger made a placating gesture, hearing the barely restrained rage (among other emotions) in Laxus’s voice.

                “Red has been with Phoenix since you believed she disappeared. Since she’s in no condition to give the facts herself, I’ll do my best. She told you the next time she saw you, she’d be stronger. This was due to someone approaching her previously and whispering promises of power. Obtain power she did, but she also caught the eye of the Council and was sentenced to this life of servitude.”

                Rogue softly interjected, “Yajima told us the Vampire was arrested for the massacre of a merchant’s guild.”

                A sad exhale. “The experiments Nina underwent had…side effects.”  Her terrifying form flashed through their minds.

                “Where are the bastards who did this to her?” Laxus seethed with clenching fists.

                A cruel smile played on Roger’s face and a smaller version sported on The Lady who made her first comment since arriving. “They didn’t survive the results of Nina’s change.”

                “Gratefully, thanks to the efforts of some of our guild mates and Nina herself, she has gained a semblance of control over that form over the years. It’s by no means perfect, as the longer she utilizes that specific ability, her mind degrades. Base instincts take over—“

                “—so if you’re not already friends with Red or try to take away her food, WATCH OUT!” DJ finished, not taking her focus off whatever she was building on the table. At first it had been a couple gears and a wire, but now it had several legs and pinchers.

                A thoughtful hush descended on the group, broken only by the occasional yawn and DJ’s tinkering.

                Freed, noticing his friend still reeling from the outpour of information asked, “Is there any way to know when Ms. Nina will return? Or can we track her somehow?”

                Something in his question triggered DJ to drop her tools and start pounding on the table. “TEETH. TEETH. TEETH. TEETH. TEETH,” she chanted in tandem with her pounding. Next to her, The Lady bumped her fist as well, though more delicately.

                “I _could_ track her,” Roger confirmed. DJ’s volume lowered as he continued, “But I fear that would not be for the best right now.”

                “What do you mean?” Sting demanded. “And what’s with the ‘TEETH’?”

                “I’m a bone mage. Controlling bones of the dead or loose bones is very easy. Bones in living people I can only move in proportion to how familiar I am with their skeletal structure and how much I possess.” The last part stopped most of the uncomfortable shifting. “Structures I’m very familiar with I can sense like someone’s magical power. If I have a piece bone from someone, I can track them, but again, there are limitations.”

                Laxus wasn’t the only one who felt nauseous. “You have Nina’s bones?”

                “Her wisdom teeth and baby teeth which she gave to me voluntarily.” He pulled out a small felt bag, shook it, and returned it to his pocket. “Part of keeping the violent side of her under control has required me to use that bone manipulation on her. She wanted to make sure everyone in the guild felt safe and that she wouldn’t hurt civilians. Using them to track her isn’t painful for her but I would advise against it. She’s in a vulnerable state and might possibly attack anyone she feels is in between her and her prey. You’re all unknown to her. You were friends a long time ago, Laxus; the likelihood of her recognizing her out of instinct is…slim.”

                Master Bob, who had been content to listen and make mental notes, finally joined the conversation. “And who _is_ her prey, Master Roger?”

                “Mesh, the fake Vampire.”

                Patting her completed machine affectionately, DJ added, “She’s never trusted him.”

                The Lady ruefully sighed and shook her head. “And she feels responsible for all the damage her magic has caused. She’ll come back home soon enough.”

                After so much conversation and adventure, everyone felt rest was in order.

                The following morning, since Obsidian Phoenix had done no harm, the trio was allowed to continue with their business. A couple of Knights grudgingly rolled Plastar away. Laxus held out Nina’s bracelet but with a grin, Roger told him Nina could fetch it herself. They left with the offer to help any wizard guilds who needed assistance with jobs. Not quite enemies, not quite allies.

                The Sabertooth family returned home at last, glad their quest was over. However, Sting and Bob convened a meeting with the other wizard guild masters, a couple Rune Knight representatives, and Yajima. Information about Obsidian Phoenix was shared, though many personal details were not exposed. Should something be done about these mages who were labeled by the Council too dangerous to have free reign?

                Levy McGarden stated that all the Council’s records were destroyed when it was. So was it right to charge people for past crimes there was no documentation of? Gajeel didn’t see the point in chasing them down, especially when they were dealing with everything in-house. If the political prisoners went home, they probably wouldn’t come back for revenge with an army since their captors were gone.

                When asked for his opinion, Yajima profusely objected to any offensive action against the guild. Even though he never personally met any of them, he felt deeply for the mages held away from their loved ones. They had suffered enough. Why not allow them to be an independent guild like Crime Sorcière? After all, based on Sting’s and Bob’s interactions with them, they seemed eccentric and resourceful but not malicious.

                Eventually, they agreed to leave the guild be. Once that was settled, Yajima offered to write down each member he could recall so no one would attack them accidentally. Though, he reminded them it _had_ been several years so many may have died, other already fled, and some added since he left.

                It was by no means a happily ever after, but each new chapter of life holds the promise to be better than the last.

**Author's Note:**

> Ilana is from yesitsalsoagun's stars above and souls below.


End file.
